Turkey

Istanbul, Apr 22 (AFP) Turkish police on Monday arrested nine people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism.

Kilicdaroglu, 70, of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was assaulted on Sunday in a crowd as he attended a funeral in Ankara for a soldier killed fighting Kurdish militants in the southeast.

ANKARA, April 22(Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday criticized the U.S. decision to end sanction waivers for countries importing Iranian oil.

"The U.S. decision will not serve regional peace and stability, but will harm Iranian people," Cavusoglu warned on his Twitter.

"Turkey rejects unilateral sanctions and impositions on how to conduct relations with neighbors," he said.

ANKARA; 22 Apr 2019; AA: Turkey and Belarus signed an agreement to cooperate on polar research on Monday, months after Turkey completed its third National Antarctic Science Expedition.

The agreement on scientific and technical cooperation in Antarctica was signed by Turkey’s Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank and Vladimir Gusakov, the chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

20 Apr 2019; DW: Two suspected United Arab Emirates (UAE) intelligence agents have been arrested in Turkey, state news agency Anadolu said Friday.

Istanbul prosecutors are investigating whether the suspects have any links to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it said. The alleged agents were detained on suspicion of "political and military spying" and "international spying," prosecutors said. 

ANKARA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday that Turkey understands NATO's concerns over its procurement of the Russian S-400 air defense missiles.

"We are aware of NATO's concerns. It is not right to say that Turkey is not considering them," Cavusoglu said at a press conference with his Romanian and Polish counterparts in Ankara, adding that Turkey needs air defense systems urgently.

15 Apr 2019; AA: Nearly 5 tons of powdered marijuana were seized in international waters on the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

The "Unity Operation" against drug smugglers was conducted by Turkish police, gendarmerie and coast guard, the ministry said in a statement.

15 Apr 2019; AA: Turkish jets destroyed ammunition depots and shelters of the PKK terror group in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The ministry said in a statement that airstrikes destroyed PKK targets in the Metina, Hakurk, Avasin-Basyan and Zap regions.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people.

ANKARA; 11 Apr 2019; AA: Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) on Wednesday announced do-over elections in Yusufeli district of northeastern Artvin province on June 2.

In the local elections held on March 31, ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party candidate Eyup Aytekin won the race by three votes, followed by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Baris Demirci, according to unofficial results.

Tehran, April 10, IRNA – The foreign ministers of Turkey and Qatar criticized US President Donald Trump for putting the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) on list of terrorist organizations.

ANTALYA, 8 Apr 2019; AA: A merchant ship some 3,600 years old has been found off Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.

The 14-meter (46-foot) shipwreck loaded with copper ingots was discovered by an underwater research team from Akdeniz University in Antalya, southern Turkey.

Antalya Governor Munir Karaoglu hailed the discovery as a “breakthrough” in underwater archaeology.